College football's final week claimed its first major victim Thursday night, as No. 17 Tulane fell 34-24 at home against Memphis. Though the result doesn't knock the Green Wave out of the American Athletic Conference Championship Game -- Tulane clinched a berth two weeks ago with a win against Navy -- it did have major implications on a heated College Football Playoff race.

Thanksgiving football brought some early clarity to the playoff race entering the final week of the regular season, and proved a damning moment for would-be Gro

The Tulane football team moved up three spots to No. 17 in Tuesday's college football playoff rankings --ahead of three of the four teams tied for first in the Big 12--and can clinch the host role for the AAC Championship Game by beating Memphis at Yulman Stadium on Thursday,